RED
FORT, DELHI The
largest of Old Delhi's monuments is Lal Quila or Red
Fort whose thick red sandstone walls, bulging with turrets
and bastions, have withstood the vagaries of time and
nature. The Lal Quila rises above a wide dry moat in
the northeast corner of the original city of Shahjahanabad.
Its walls extend from two kilometers and vary in height
from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the
city side.

Mughal Emperor Shahjahan started construction of the
massive fort in 1638 and work was completed in 1648.
The fort contains all the expected trappings of the
centre of Mughal government: halls of public and private
audience, domed and arched marble palaces, plush private
apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens.
Even today, the fort remains an impressive testimony
to Mughal grandeur, despite being attacked by the Persian
Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739 and by the British soldiers
during the war of independence in 1857.

Mughal Emperor Shahjahan started construction of the
massive fort in 1638 and work was completed in 1648.
The fort contains all the expected trappings of the
centre of Mughal government: halls of public and private
audience, domed and arched marble palaces, plush private
apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens.
Even today, the fort remains an impressive testimony
to Mughal grandeur, despite being attacked by the Persian
Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739 and by the British soldiers
during the war of independence in 1857.

Entrance to the fort is through the imposing Lahore
Gate, which takes its name from the fact that it faces
Lahore, now in Pakistan. This gate has a special significance
for India since the first war of independence and important
speeches have been made here by freedom fighters and
national leaders of India.

The main entrance opens on to the Chatta Chowk, a covered
street flanked with arched cells that used to house
Delhi's most talented jewellers, carpet makers, weavers
and goldsmiths. This arcade was also known as the Meena
Bazaar, the shopping centre for the ladies of the court.
Just beyond the Chhata Chowk is the heart of the fort
called Naubat Khana or the Drum House. The musicians
used to play for the emperor from the Naubat Khana and
the arrival of princes and royalty was heralded from
here.

The Fort also houses the Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public
Audiences where the Emperor would sit and hear complaints
of the common folks. His alcove in the wall was marble-paneled
and was set with precious stones, many of which were
looted after the mutiny of 1857. The Diwan-i-Khas is
the hall of private audiences where the Emperor held
private meetings. This hall is made of marble and its
centre-piece used to be the Peacock Throne, which was
carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739. Today, the
Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow of its original glory,
yet the famous Persian couplet inscribed on its wall
remind us of its former magnificence: "If on Earth be
an Eden of bliss, it is this, it is this, none but this."

The other attractions within this monument are the Royal
Baths or hammams, the Shahi Burj, which used to be Shahjahan's
private working area and the Moti Masjid or the Pearl
Mosque, built by Aurangzeb for his personal use. The
Rang Mahal or the "Palace of Colours" housed the Emperor's
wives and mistresses. This palace was crowned with gilded
turrets, delicately painted and decorated with an intricate
mosaic of mirrors, and a ceiling overlaid with gold
and silver that was reflected in a central pool in the
marble floor.

Even today, the Lal Quila is an eloquent reminder of
the glory of the Mughal era and its magnificence leaves
many wonder-struck and breathless. It is still a calm
haven of peace which helps one to break away from the
frantic pace of life outside the walls of the Fort and
transports the visitor to another era of time.